Chapter 112Beginning of the Second Term
Although the summer vacation is over, the heat of summer does not change much. It usually starts to get cooler around mid-October. Until then, the summer uniforms will continue to be worn. Yeah, that's right, that means when we go to school, we can still see Natsukawa's white and slender arms. Her beauty is indeed very enchanting for all seasons. As her biggest fan, I'm very happy with her strong spirit of service. I wonder why they can't charge Natsukawa...
"...Hmm?"
I'm going to school on the first day of the second term. As I arrived a little late, I found the area in front of the school gate bustling with people's activities. As I approached, I saw a male student I didn't recognize being arrested by Shinomiya-senpai. Upon closer inspection, I found that Mita-senpai and Inatomi-senpai were also around her. They were wearing gold and red "Disciplinary Committee" armbands on their arms. Yeah, most guys unbutton their top shirts or leave the hem open.
"Hmm, Sajou?"
"Eh...!?"
When I approached her normally, Shinomiya-senpai guessed me without looking properly. This was so impossible that I couldn't help but let out a cry. As if she was convinced after hearing my voice, she finally turned around and smiled at me with a grin. Gosh, she's so cool... ...Didn't she enhance her beauty again during the summer vacation?
"Hey, good morning, long time no see, Sajou. Has your skin gotten a little tanner?"
"Wassup. My skin has indeed gotten a bit tanner... ...Eh, how did you know it was me, Senpai?"
"Oh, just from your sign."
"My sign."
I forgot about it, but was it because Shinomiya-senpai went to the dojo a lot? I think she said something about spirituality. The day I was invited there had a huge impact on me, so it was imprinted in my brain. Eh? Does that mean that if we've mastered that, we can read people's signs? I feel like I was born into the wrong world.
"Is each person's sign different and depends on the person?"
"Yeah, each person is very different."
Signs, signs, huh... ...does it have a color or something? It's a shame that summer vacation is over, but I can't wait to start studying at school again. I'm feeling rather excited, and if it had a color it would be brighter. It's like the color of a sour lemon.
"What color is my sign?"
"Sajou has a tan color."
"Tan."
"Oh, no! It's Brown!
"Brown."
Eh, did she just say that she was worried about me...?
I guess I wasn't too happy or sad to have it corrected. Oh, my color is brown, huh? I'd make good coffee if I could grind the beans. That iced coffee is the only drink that has Big Sis' approval. I wonder if Shinomiya-senpai thinks of me as a person who farts...
Mita-senpai and Inatomi-senpai also looked at me. They both greeted me and I involuntarily flinched. I don't know what it is because it's been a long time since I've seen girls wearing miniskirts or something like that. Let's take a look at the two of them. Especially Mita-senpai...
Inatomi-senpai told me, "Something has changed about me this time, you know?", she asked me the deadly question for the boys. I thought I was right when I told her, "Let me guess, you've grown taller, haven't you?" and she would jump up and down with joy, but I was wrong. It seems that she's already wearing a new red ribbon on her head. Mita-senpai poked between my ribs with her finger. Shinomiya-senpai also looked at me with a disgusted look. Please, don't do that, stop.
♦
"Oh... ...Oh... ...Sajou-san."
"Eh...? Whoa! Ichinose-san!?"
After the corridor, I always immediately turn left. But I heard a voice calling me from the right, I turned my head, and I found Ichinose-san slowly poking her head out from behind the wall, which had probably been perforated by a pillar while hugging her bag. There was probably only one reason why she was there.
"Good morning. You don't have to hide like that..."
"Th-That's because..."
When it was still before summer vacation, I was in the mood to come to school early, but Ichinose-san was already in the classroom. She was the type to come that early, so she was also probably earlier than anyone else today. However, the fact that she was there hugging her bag, means she's been hiding for quite some time...
"That's nothing strange. You should be more confident."
"Oh..."
As I pulled her out, the sound of her insecure scream came back. Ichinose-san, who was looking at me anxiously, both her eyes were visible. Seeing her face again reminded me of how red my face was the day before yesterday.
The day after she was waited on by Bear-san-senpai, Ichinose-san went to the hair salon and cut her long bangs. She was so nervous that she just told the hairdresser that she wanted to cut her bangs and left it up to the hairdresser. Not only can we see her eyes, but we can also catch a glimpse of her forehead. What a good hairdresser. I'm impressed that you dared to do that, Ichinose-san. I'm so glad that I complimented her.
No, yeah, she was so cute that she made me stutter. She told me that she was bullied in elementary school because she had a wide forehead and was bald. That's why she had long bangs. As expected. Even so, the natural way she looked up at me made me embarrassed. Can I just squat down, so we can look at each other? Honestly, it's refreshing to see Ichinose-san in her uniform again...
When I asked her about it, she said she was too embarrassed, which is why she was waiting for me in this place. It seems that she followed me without even bothering to attract my attention. When we were working part-time, she was very confident showing her forehead, but I wonder why she feels shy now...? ...Yeah, I think it's because I'm the only person she sees every single day.
"Come on, let's go."
"Y-Yeah..."
"I'm not your senpai anymore, you know."
"Oh, Y-Yeah..."
Yesterday was my last day working part-time. I also returned my apron from the second-hand bookstore to Gramps yesterday. Even though I've known him for a month and a half, he is still a bit slow. Gramps' wife gave me a cute apron as a thank you. She wants me to wear it at home. I'll wear that apron when I make cup noodles or iced coffee sometimes later. Mom will probably wear the apron starting tomorrow.
Before I knew it, Ichinose-san was flooded with tears. It seemed like she was traumatized. She quietly touched my arm with her fingertips. I also shook her hand with my fingertips. When I told her that we would meet again tomorrow at school, she immediately smiled at me as if she remembered something. It does have a destructive power of its own. Gramps, please take care of her...
Ichinose-san seems to have announced to Senpai that she will still be working part-time. But what about their relationship? She seems to have stopped avoiding Senpai, but when I asked her if she's still reading books with her big bro's soft belly as a backrest, she said she didn't do it anymore. I can only say not to worry about it, Bear-san-senpai, okay. After all, you two are still much closer than most siblings in this world.
From then on, I'm not her senpai anymore, when I pointed that out with words to her, she just nodded but was confused. I can't really imagine what I'm going to talk about with Ichinose-san at school right now, but I think it will work out, and I'll just have to wait and see.
"I'll open this door, okay."
"Hieh."
"I'll open the door."
When we got to the front of the classroom, I tried to open the door, then I heard the sound of fear again. It was so quiet that I wondered if I shouldn't open the door at all. Somehow, I managed to suppress my desire to protect her and opened the door with all my might.
"Then—."
"Oh! Good morning, Sajocchi!"
"Good morning."
"Yo, Ashida, Natsukawa. Morning."
When I opened the door, Ashida was already in the seat behind me, and Natsukawa was standing next to her. They came early and were talking to each other. Summer uniforms...! Natsukawa's summer uniform! Oh...!? Natsukawa's skin is slightly tanned! Not bad!
...Oh.
"It feels like it's been a long time since we've messaged each other, doesn't it... ...-Hmm, eh...?"
"Wa-Wataru... ...that girl is."
"Oh, oh, um... ...Zashiki warashi.*"
(TL Note: Zashiki warashi is a children's spirit believed by people in Iwate Prefecture. This spirit is believed to be a kami (deity), who lives in a warehouse (zashiki), and is believed to bring good luck.)
"That's not true, is it!?"
Thump thump... ...thump thump...
Her nerves probably resurfaced the moment I opened the door, hence Ichinose-san sticking right behind me. If I say perfect because it's already reached what's known as zero distance... ...Does my back feel warm? Yeah? I can finally understand Ichinose-san wanting to stay close to Bear-san-senpai, right?
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, Ichinose-san!"
"Eh...!? Isn't that girl, Ichinose-chan? Is she the one sitting right on the seat next to yours!?"
Ashida raised her voice with a surprised expression on her face. Hey, wait! Everyone in the classroom is staring at us, you know. If that happens, Ichinose-san probably won't be able to come out for a long time and will stay like this, you know—? O-Okay... ...It's okay, nothing special, right? If Ichinose-san doesn't like it, it's fine to leave it as it is, right? It's not bad to feel this warmth and softness, right?
"W-Wait..."
"Eh?"
"N-No, you can't do that!"
"Oh, okay..."
Natsukawa came closer to us and put her hand between me and Ichinose-san. She slowly pushed me towards the blackboard, then she dragged me away from Ichinose-san. As a result, Ichinose-san ended up just standing there alone. When I looked back after I let myself go with the flow, I found Natsukawa and Ichinose-san both staring at me with gazes as if they had something to say. Ichinose-san was asking for a favor... ...The message was conveyed through her eyes.
"Oh!? Ichinose-chan cut her bangs!"
"Oh! That's right! She's so cute!"
"It's gotten so much better!"
The girls who noticed Ichinose-san's change in appearance cheered. Shirai-san and Okamoto-san also ran up to her with happy smiles on their faces. It's amazing how girls feel a sense of solidarity at times like this, regardless of group affiliation. When I cut my hair and entered the classroom, they would all probably say, "Eh, did you cut your hair, Sajou-kun?" I'd probably run as fast as I could if all the boys ran up to me at once. I'd just give up right away.
Shirai-san and Okamoto-san seemed to be the literary type of girls like Ichinose-san, so that meant it wasn't hard to get along with them. At the very least, they could be more comfortable to talk to than the customers at the part-time job who thought we couldn't be against them.
Ichinose-san looked at me as if asking for my help. Since that was impossible, I couldn't do that. Being surrounded by girls is indeed the most helpless thing we can do. Just let them surround you. Hehehe, some of them were unattached and some had just broken up with their partners.
As I stretched my nose, Natsukawa looked at me suspiciously from the right.
"...By any chance, she's the girl at your part-time job, huh?"
"Oh... ...H-Hmm? Who knows? Sajou doesn't know that."
Both Natsukawa and Ashida had things to ask about Ichinose-san. How could they possibly know that Ichinose-san is indeed the "quiet girl at my part-time job"... ...But even if they know that there's no other choice for me but to play dumb, right...!
"No, you see, I've some sort of dementia."
"..."
"...Um..."
"..."
Should I jump out the window from here?
Author's Note: I think that would be much cooler.
TL Note: It's the end of the Part Four of the WN version. There are 3 extra chapters after this one, but because they're LN-only chapters, we're not gonna translate them, if you want to read them, you must purchase the fourth volume of Official English of the LN version when it comes out at the time. After this chapter, we're going to move to Part Five of the WN version, so please keep supporting me by reading the current translation.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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